Home games against seven postseason qualifiers highlight Nebraska’s 2017-18 Big Ten opponents released Monday by the Big Ten Conference.
The slate includes home tilts with NCAA qualifiers Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin at Pinnacle Bank Arena along with visits from NIT qualifiers Indiana, Illinois and Iowa.
As part of the Big Ten’s schedule rotation, five teams (Illinois, Minnesota, Penn State, Rutgers and Wisconsin) will serve as NU’s double-play opponents this season. The Huskers will face those five teams both in Lincoln and on the road.
In addition, all four of NU’s home single-play home opponents reached postseason play last year, including Big Ten postseason champion Michigan, along with Maryland, Iowa and Indiana. NU’s single-play road opponents feature a trip to Big Ten regular-season champion Purdue, along with treks to Michigan State, Northwestern and Ohio State.
In all, 13 of NU’s 18 Big Ten games will be against postseason qualifiers from last season. The Big Ten had seven 2017 NCAA Tournament qualifiers (Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, Purdue and Wisconsin), including three teams that reached the NCAA Sweet 16.
The Big Ten schedule will begin the weekend of Dec. 1 with all 14 teams playing two games (one home/one away) between Dec. 1-5 before conference play resumes on Jan. 2. The Big Ten Tournament will take place beginning on Feb. 28 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Dates, times and TV for Big Ten Conference games will be announced later in the summer.
Home: Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan
Away: Michigan State, Northwestern, Ohio State, Purdue
Home/Away: Illinois, Minnesota, Penn State, Rutgers, Wisconsin